Customer Reviews

Past Mischief

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Miranda Stowe's life is turned upside down by the apparent suicide of her constantly unfaithful husband, Jack. With little in the bank, and a growing number of mouths to feed, she decides to take paying guests into her somewhat dilapidated manor house, meeting a cast of colourful, and sometimes eccentric, guests in the process. Liberated from her marriage, Miranda finds that she and her new business bloom and that, unfortunately, all the wrong types of men seem to be attracted to widows...

Past Mischief is a delicious social comedy, with an endearing selection of characters. But there is nothing overtly sugary about Clayton's blend of love, sex, friendship and the trials and tribulations of life. The novel is a pleasure to read and will have readers returning to thumb through its pages time and again, eager to reacquaint themselves with the characters and plot contained within. I really enjoyed this book, it's a great summer's read with an unusual amount of charm, dash and verve.

Victoria Clayton creates a charming, eccentric, "veddy" British world you will not want to leave. The characters are intelligent and witty, and the plot has some surprising twists in this story of a widow learning to live life on her own terms.

The book starts with a death. Jack has shot himself, leaving behind his wife Miranda, three teenage children, and their manor house in Kent. Miranda must confront the puzzle of who Jack really was and how he died. She must also take a look at herself, and decide who she is, now that she is not a wife.

The one thing she knows for sure is that she loves her home, Westray. Due to the financial woes Jack's death has caused, she decides to turn it into a small inn. Now, the complications begin, as Miranda's family, helpful friends, and paying guests keep her too busy to spend time mourning.

There are those who exasperate her; including her friend Maeve, the aging flower child whose "discreet" romantic exploits are known to the whole town, and local doctor Rory Macleod, who seems to be on the scene, with eyebrows raised, every time a leacherous old man in town tries to make a move on the new widow.

There are those who depend on Miranda; from her daughter Elizabeth, whose devastation over her father's death leads to trouble, to Rose, Miranda's childhood nanny, whose failing health does not stop her from protecting Miranda from pain in any way she can.

And there are the divine; the paying guests who bring new meaning to Miranda's life, from the dashing Hungarian pianist who reintroduces Miranda to romance, to the elderly painter who quotes the classics and keeps a secret that will affect the whole family.

Past Mischief is an old fashioned good read with some romance, some mystery, and characters you will not forget. Check into the Westray. You won't want to leave!

This was the first Victoria Clayton book I read, and I didn't want it to ever end. She writes intelligently, so hers aren't really 'fluff' reads but yet they are relaxing and enjoyable. If you haven't read any of her books, I highly recommend that you start. The biggest problem is finding them at a reasonable price in the U.S.!

This book was such a joy. I'm an Anglophile and I have an old house that I use as a bed and breakfast so I enjoyed the circumstances but what moved me the most was the trials that women of an age feel. They are not usually the subject of novels and this one with it's warmth and heart touched me deeply.

I have now read, I believe, all of Victoria Claytons books. The latest one was Running Wild which was every bit as good if not better than the earlier ones (well, perhaps Past Mischief is still my favourite - but only just). Once again I can only say that I hope Ms. Clayton is writing another book - we (my friends, my mom and I) are all waiting!! Many thanks and congratulations on another MASTERPIECE! Such fun to read. Regards, sonja falkenberg (Toronto, Canada).

I can't say enough good things about this book - I sat up until 3 am today to finish it. I guess the traditional elements of a romance are here, but the book seems just so much more than that. It starts with the death of Miranda's chronically unfaithful husband - and proceeds to show how the life and death of this selfish, ugly man(soul-wise, not physically) is like a pebble in a pool - the ripples of effect go on forever. There's pain and humor, and not all of the ends are neatly tied up - just the ones that matter the most to you at the end. The subplots and supporting characters are superb - wonderful book!..